1. Field of the Invention
This invention is generally directed to display devices such as picture frames and photograph frames which are particularly constructed in order to create a perceived motion to an article being displayed and for creating a three-dimensional viewing effect for a photograph, picture, painting, drawing, embroidery or other article being displayed. More particularly, the present invention is directed to display devices including picture or photographic frames which utilize a compound lens system for distorting and magnifying portions of images when viewed.
2. Brief Discussion of the Related Art
In order to display pictures and photographs and other generally two-dimensional objects, in a more realistic and life-like manner, there have been various innovations with respect to creating picture frames and similar devices which are specifically configured to create an illusion of depth, such as creating a three-dimensional display of an otherwise two-dimensional object or to otherwise enhance a display which is static. By way of example, in U.S. Pat. No. 2,968,108 to Knox, a pictorial display device is disclosed including a display frame having components which support a picture or photograph in such a manner that the surface is semi-cylindrically presented in an arc configuration with the center axis of the picture extending closer to the front of the frame than the sides. This type of mounting gives an illusion that portions of the picture are spaced at different distances from a viewer, thus, giving a three-dimensional effect to the article being displayed. Although some three-dimensional effects may be created, the article being displayed remains static when viewed from a viewing direction.
In U.S. Pat. No. 3,701,581 to Henkes, Jr., a stereoscopic enhancement for pictorial displays is disclosed wherein a two-dimensional display is mounted within a stereographic frame. The frame includes surfaces for decreasing scene brightness in a non-linear manner such that the picture becomes disassociated with respect to the frame, whereby causing a three-dimensional effect.
In U.S. Pat No. 5,617,663 to Miki et al., a three-dimensional photographic display is disclosed which uses a co-linear support similar to that disclosed in the aforementioned patent to Knox. However, in order to create a greater three-dimensional effect, mirrored surfaces are provided on the lateral sides of the support for the photograph.
In U.S. Pat. No. 3,597,042 to Favre, a display device for creating an apparent three-dimensional effect is disclosed which includes a lens system which incorporates a planar surface facing a picture which surface is covered by a plurality of opaque strips or stripes. The lens has a plurality of undulated faces on the opposite side thereof. In this manner, a plurality of generally parallel lenses are created having an optical center between the flat surface of the lens and the undulated outer surface with the lenses being separated by the opaque stripes provided on the flat surface. A somewhat similar lens system for creating an apparent three-dimensional effect utilizing a plurality of undulated surfaces on a lens system is disclosed in the U.S. Pat No. 2,268,351 to Tanaka.
In U.S. Pat No. 3,053,135 to Tanaka, a compound lens systems is disclosed which includes interfacing undulated lens which are mounted in face-to-face relationship forwardly of a picture. The interface between the lenses causes a viewer""s left and right eyes to perceive the picture in several different planes thereby creating a three-dimensional effect.
The foregoing innovations have been made in order to create a depth illusion with respect to the presentation of a two-dimensional object such as a photograph or picture. However, the innovations do not further concern making elements of a picture or article being displayed appear to exhibit slight movement. In view of the foregoing, there remains a need to provide for display systems which not only create a three-dimensional effect but also create an illusion of object movement with respect to a static two-dimensional display.
The present invention is directed to a display assembly for two-dimensional objects or articles such as photographs, pictures, paintings and the like which both creates a perception of depth to a viewer and also creates a simulation of motion of elements of the articles being displayed. The invention includes a frame housing having a front, rear and opposite sides. An article support member is provided within the housing and is arcuate or semi-cylindrical in configuration such articles, such as pictures, when mounted therein, are caused to be curved about a central vertical axis of the housing in a manner such that the article is concave along the vertical axis toward the front of the housing. Mounted forwardly of the article support portion is a compound lens system which is specifically configured to create minor distortions of the image being viewed and also to magnify at least portions of the image with the magnifying lens being ellipsoidal in shape and offset, in a preferred embodiment, so that its major axis transverse with respect to the central vertical axis of the housing.
In a preferred embodiment, the distortions in the image are created by texturing the surface of a sheet of picture glass or plastic so as to make slight changes in the thickness. Such texturing is made along a surface of the picture glass or plastic which faces the article being displayed. The texturing is done in order to provide a plurality of non-uniform end spaced bump-like distortions which function as miniature lenses. In this respect, the miniature lenses have a somewhat convex surface opposing the two-dimensional article. In a preferred embodiment, the picture glass or plastic is curved to complement the curvature of the article when it is mounted within the frame housing. The size of the miniature lenses may vary and will depend upon the overall size of the frame housing. It is preferred that the lenses be relatively small and/or weak, such that no obvious distortions of overall images of the article being displayed are distorted and only portions of such images are slightly distorted when being viewed.
To further create an illusion of depth and motion, the compound lens system also includes a magnification lens, which in the preferred embodiment, is formed by a lens of substantially the same size as an opening defined by the front of the frame housing and which includes a generally flat inner surface and a very slightly somewhat convex outer surface. In the preferred embodiment, the lens is formed in somewhat elliptical configuration with the major axis of the ellipse being oriented on a line which is somewhat diagonal or transverse with respect to the central vertical axis of the housing and thus, also, the image of the article being displayed. A combination of the miniature distortion lenses caused by the texturing of the picture glass or plastic together with the magnification of the elliptical lens creates both a sense of depth and of motion of the image being viewed.
As an alternate embodiment of the invention, the textured distortion picture glass or miniature lenses created on the picture glass may be integrally formed with the magnifying lens. When this is done, the overall lens, which may be formed of glass or plastic, will include a front magnifying lens surface which is substantially planar with the exception of the small amount of convex surface with the rear surface being arcuately curved to complement the curvature for the article being displayed. The outer surface of the arcuate portion of the combination lens is textured in the manner discussed above with respect to creating miniature distortion.
It is the primary object of the present invention to provide displays in the form of frames for pictures, photographs, paintings and the like which may be either mounted to a wall or supported on a horizontal surface and wherein an article to be displayed is housed in such a manner as to create both an illusion of three-dimensional relief and to create an illusion of motion of elements of the article being displayed.
It is a further object of the present invention to provide a display for two-dimensional objects which allows the image of the object to be presented to a viewer in such a manner that the viewer believes that the object has three-dimensional characteristics and that portions of the object appear to move relative to the viewer by the provision of a plurality of miniature distortion lenses and a magnification lens which are created in a compound lens system positioned between the two-dimensional object and a front of the display frame.